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Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers
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Negative DEP traps for single cell immobilisation.

Rupert S Thomas1, Hywel Morgan, Nicolas G Green

  • 1The Nano Group, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

Lab on a Chip
|May 22, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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We developed a new micro-particle trap using negative dielectrophoresis (nDEP) for cell trapping in physiological media. This scalable design efficiently traps single cells in arrays, with validated holding forces.

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Microfluidics
  • Electrical Engineering

Background:

  • Dielectrophoresis is crucial for manipulating microparticles and cells.
  • Trapping cells in physiological media presents challenges due to high conductivity.
  • Existing methods may lack scalability or require complex electrode configurations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a novel, scalable micro-particle trap design utilizing negative dielectrophoresis (nDEP).
  • To enable efficient single-cell trapping in high-conductivity physiological media.
  • To demonstrate the trap's functionality and validate its performance against theoretical models.

Main Methods:

  • A micro-trap design featuring a central ring electrode and ground plane creating a closed electric field cage.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers
09:56

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 31, 2021

Use of an Optical Trap for Study of Host-Pathogen Interactions for Dynamic Live Cell Imaging
09:17

Use of an Optical Trap for Study of Host-Pathogen Interactions for Dynamic Live Cell Imaging

Published on: July 28, 2011

Combining Single-molecule Manipulation and Imaging for the Study of Protein-DNA Interactions
14:43

Combining Single-molecule Manipulation and Imaging for the Study of Protein-DNA Interactions

Published on: August 27, 2014

  • Utilizing negative dielectrophoresis (nDEP) for trapping micron-sized particles and cells.
  • Experimental validation by trapping latex spheres and HeLa cells against a fluid flow.
  • Theoretical comparison through numerical electric field solving and force calculation.

    • Main Results:

    • Successful trapping of single latex spheres and HeLa cells against a moving fluid.
    • Experimental determination of dielectrophoretic holding force, showing good agreement with theoretical calculations.
    • Demonstrated holding force of 23 pN for a 15.6 µm latex particle in an 80 µm trap at 5 Vpp.

    Conclusions:

    • The novel nDEP micro-trap design is effective for trapping cells in physiological media.
    • The scalable design is suitable for large-scale single-cell manipulation and array formation.
    • The validated performance confirms the trap's potential for various biophysical applications.